Our Program

Building Blocks Day School offers classes for children 2 months through 6 years of age. The teacher to student class ratios 4 to 1 for infants/toddlers, 5 to 1 for the two-year-olds, and 8 to 1 for the three and 10 to 1 for four-year-olds and above.

Building Blocks staff speak English, Spanish, and American Sign Language with the children throughout the day. The children’s language experiences are enhanced through one-on-one communication, group communication, music, dance, storytelling and “pretend play.” Incorporated throughout the day are age-appropriate learning activities such as art and craft projects, sensory experiences, plus science and math exploration.

​Physical education is also an important part of our program with daily indoor and outdoor physical activity. This is furthered enhanced by our weekly Jump Bunch athletic program.

Our Mission

Building Blocks Day School’s mission is to combine the very best child care within a Christian-based, developmentally appropriate Spanish immersion program, while instilling within each child a love for learning. We respect the fact that children have a variety of strengths. Our program helps them grow in their individual strengths through hands on, enjoyable, meaningful, enriching activities and experiences. We provide that environment which allow each student a caring classroom, promoting cultural values and diversity which will allow an easier transition into kindergarten. Additionally, we enjoy working collaboratively with parents and teachers to realize our students’ potential. Our goal is to have our children reflect the self-confidence as they are guided and encouraged to explore and construct their own knowledge. We look forward working closely with our families to provide an integrated, comprehensive and family centered approach to learning where our children will reflect respect, independence, high self-esteem, kindness, and love.

Curriculum

Building Blocks III Day School follows a developmental approach to curriculum. Developmental appropriateness encompasses (1) age appropriateness – knowledge of typical developmental stages and (2) individual appropriateness – seeing each child as an individual.

In the book, Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children From Birth Through Age 8, the National Association for the Education of Young Children states: “A developmentally appropriate curriculum for young children is planned to be appropriate for the age span of the children within the group and is implemented with attention to the different needs, interests, and developmental levels of those individual children.” This approach to curriculum is further outlined whereas:

A. Developmentally appropriate curriculum provides for all areas of a child’s development: physical, emotional, social, and cognitive through an integrated approach.

B. Appropriate curriculum planning is based on teachers’ observations and recordings of each child’s special interests and developmental progress.

C. Curriculum planning emphasizes learning as an interactive process. Teachers prepare the environment for children to learn through active exploration and interaction with adults, other children, and materials.

D. Learning activities and materials should be concrete, real, and relevant to the lives of young children.

E. Programs provide for a wider range of developmental interests and abilities than the chronological age range of the group would suggest.

F. Teachers provide a variety of activities and materials: teachers increase the difficulty, complexity, and challenge of an activity as children are involved with it and as children develop understanding and skills.

G. Adults provide opportunities for children to choose from among a variety of activities, materials, and equipment; and time to explore through active involvement.

H. Spanish immersion, English and American Sign Language program.

Reference:

Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs, NAEYC by Sue Bredekamp and Carol Copple, Editors